Pieces Of A Dream
by Doctor Addison Montgomery
Summary: ZainOC. SamPhil. Sequel to You Needed Me. A year after the rape, Sarah and Zain are still going strong until an unwelcome face from the past makes a return and threatens to destroy everything. Please review!
1. All Too Perfect

**Pieces Of A Dream  
****Chapter 1 - All Too Perfect **

**Summary: ZainOC. SamPhil. Sequel to You Needed Me. A year after the rape, Sarah and Zain are still going strong until an unwelcome face from the past makes a return and threatens to destroy everything.**

**I've never actually written a successful sequel to any of my fics so far so please bear with me! The SP storyline will carry on throughout this fic too!**

**Thanks again to everyone who read and reviewed YNM! Please review and let me know what you think! Vikki xxx.

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Lazy Sunday mornings were always the best time of the week. It was the only time during the week that Sarah was guaranteed some quality time alone with Zain. His job was a priority in his life and Sarah understood that, in truth it just made the time they did get to spend together more special. It was an early September morning and the sun was already shining through the curtains, flooding their bedroom with light. Sarah was the first to awake and stretched out under the soft sheets. She turned on her side so that she was facing Zain's sleeping form and ran a hand over his face. Her fingers traced his cheek bones down to his chiseled jaw before she leant closer to kiss his lips softly with hers. Slowly he began to wake up to and Sarah felt him arms around her, holding her protectively in his embrace. After all Zain had done for her, just being held by him was enough to make her feel safe and loved.

Almost a year had passed now since Sarah's life had come crashing down around her. The trauma of being raped was one thing but getting the police to believe you and then getting through court was another. She supposed that she had been lucky. Some women weren't taken seriously by the police and others didn't want to carry it through to court and often dropped rape cases before they really got started. Sarah hadn't had that problem. Everyone at Sun Hill and her brief Rachel Casper had all been supportive of her and had been behind her all the way. Especially Zain.

It had always seemed like a cruel twist of fate that they had had to meet under such awful circumstances. They had made it work though and having Zain as a support throughout the whole process had helped Sarah immensely. Now, a year on they were still going strong and their relationship was going from strength to strength. To Sarah, the rape was something to be stored in the past. She had no reason to think about it now, the perpetrator was safely behind bars and she had a new life to live.

Neither of them wanted to move, the bed was warm and they had each other. Eventually one of them would give in and head downstairs to the kitchen to make coffee but for now they were content as they were. Sarah rested her head against Zain's chest as his fingers played with the strands of red-brown hair that fell over her back. Neither of them had anywhere else to be and right now they didn't want to be anywhere else. They had arranged to meet Dale Smith and his girlfriend for lunch at the local pub but they had plenty of time to kill before then.

"I love you." Sarah whispered, looking up and into Zain's eyes.

He smiled, moving his hand to stroke her cheek. "I love you too."

Sarah changed her position so that she could kiss him. He kissed her back, pulling her body close to his before rolling over on top of her. There was no doubt about it, Sunday was the best day of the week.

* * *

"Dale Smith, if you use all of the hot water your life will not be worth living!" His girlfriend of eighteen months or so, Rachel Casper shouted about the noise of the shower running.

"Well, if you're that worried about it why don't you come and join me?" He retorted, wishing he could see the look on her face.

On the otherside of the bathroom door Rachel rolled her eyes and pushed open the bathroom door. She draped her towel over the radiator beside Smithy's and slipped out of her dressing gown. She stepped into the shower, joining him under the hot spray of water.

"I really hate you sometimes." Rachel told him but she couldn't keep the smile from her face.

"Love you too." Smithy grinned, handing her the soap.

* * *

A million miles from domestic bliss, Robert Ward was sitting in his prison cell. He wouldn't mind if he was put in here for commiting a serious crime, murder maybe or robbing a bank. Something a bit more dramatic than being labelled the rapist. He received no respect from his fellow inmates, in fact he was treated with the opposite. The may all be prisoners, convicted of crimes but there were still standards. Someone raping a woman was worse than murdering your own brother inside these walls. Robbie didn't understand it but it didn't bother him too much. At least commiting rape meant that he had a shorter sentence. At the trial they had said that he would get five years imprisonment but his brief was already working on reducing that to three and then there was also the option of parole or appeal. He would be out soon enough and when he did he was going to make sure that the people who had put him here paid the cost.

* * *

"Sam? Sam? Please talk to me." Phil's voice came through the answering machine. Samantha Nixon was home but she wasn't answering her phone. She didn't want to talk to anyone at the moment, let alone Phil Hunter. She had been so foolish. Letting him into her life as more than she just a friend had been a mistake and Sam should have seen that. She was a teenager anymore, she knew what men like were like but she had still trusted him with her heart and he hadn't broken it along with her trust and their friendship. "I know I've been a first class prat but please let me explain. I love you, only you. No one else could ever compare with you. I know I don't deserve you but please give me one more chance and I promise I won't hurt you again."

She had heard it all before and it sounded so pathetic. Throwing down the cushion she had been hugging, Sam got up and pulling the phone from the socket and cutting Phil off mid-sentence. It might have been childish but it still felt good.

"Sam?" On the other end of the line all Phil could hear were a series of beeps followed by silence. He sighed and hung up. He had done some pretty stupid things in his life time but this topped the lot. He had finally been given a chance with a woman who loved him for who he was and he had blown it. He was determined to win her back though. He loved Sam and knew that she still loved him. Somehow it would work out.

* * *

Sarah and Zain walked into the pub to see Smithy and Rachel already sat at a table for four by the window. After exchanging hugs and kisses, Sarah and Zain took their seats and they looked at their menus. They ordered their food and talked until it arrived. Although she had lost so much, Sarah had gained a group of good friends from her ordeal. She and Rachel often met for coffee or went shopping together and it had also brought Smithy and Zain closer and had made them better friends. Since then things had begun to work out perfectly and if you thought about it too much maybe it was just too perfect. 


	2. Break

**When The Heartache Ends  
Chapter Two: Break**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter, it meant a lot!  
Please review this one too!  
Vikki xx.

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Sarah and Zain had walked to the pub to meet Rachel and Dale. It was a warm day and the sun was warm as they walked home. The feeling of being filled with good food and fine wine left them feeling contented and happy. Zain held Sarah's hand as they headed home. It was early afternoon and they had the rest of the day to themselves to relax. They walked slowly, enjoying the feeling of having nowhere to be and having no one to answer to. It was rare that Zain had days like this. His career was demanding and often took over his personal and social life. Sarah found it hard sometimes but she understood Zain's love of his job and she was thankful for this. Zain's ability as a detective had helped her when everything had fallen apart. They didn't like to think about it now, it was all in the past.

The walked in silence, cutting through Canley Park and passing children playing and couple sitting under the shade of the trees. Zain stopped as they got closer to an ice cream van. He looked across at Sarah, a smirk on his face. She laughed.

"Zain, I'm still stuffed from lunch."

"You can never be too full for ice cream." He told her seriously before buying them a cone each.

Sarah took hers from Zain and licked it, smiling at his seductively. Zain swallowed a mouthful of ice cream and leant closer to Sarah, kissing her lips softly. He wrapped his free arm around her waist and they walked home, finishing their ice creams.

* * *

Sam Nixon ran herself a hot, deep bath and poured in a generous amount of rose scented bubble bath. She slipped into the inviting water and leant back. She felt so lonely without Phil being around here anymore but hated to admit. They had never really lived together in the proper sense but he had spent a great deal of his time there. Sam reached for the soap and smiled sadly to herself. She remembered baths she had shared with Phil when he would offer to rub her back and they would melt into each others arms in the warm water. Suddenly Sam felt cold, she slipped further under the water and tried to warm up. To her disgust tears began to form in her eyes and run down her cheeks. She hated how Phil had crawled under her skin and she couldn't forget about him. She should have known how their relationship would turn out but she had loved him too much and she hadn't seen it coming. The answering machine was still unplugged and the phone was off the hook but she knew she would have to face him soon. She couldn't hide forever.

* * *

Rachel Casper relaxed back into the sofa as Dale made coffee in the kitchen. She reached out for the remote control and turned the television on. The news was on and Rachel was about to change channels when something caught her attention.

"Smithy, come and look at this!" She called into the kitchen.

"What is it?" He asked, coming into the living room and standing beside the sofa, looking at the television screen.

They both watched in silence both of them too stunned to speak. When the bulletin had finished and the national news was back on Rachel stood up.

"Why wasn't I told about this?" She said to Smithy, who simply shrugged. "I was one of the major barristers in this case."

Smithy felt a sinking feeling in his gut. If they already knew how long would it be before Sarah and Zain knew that Robert Ward had broken out of prison.

* * *

Sarah relaxed her body against Zain's and closed her eyes. Both of them were in between being awake and asleep. It was blissful and they were determined to make the most of the day they had together. Zain subconsciously ran his hand through Sarah's hair and she cuddled closer to him. Then the phone rang, shattering the peace between and making them both alert again.

"Who could that be?" Zain grumbled, pushing himself up on his elbow. "I can't be work." He continued. "They'd ring my mobile."

"Wrong number?" Sarah guessed hopefully.

Zain's lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her lips and then down to her collarbone. On the other end of the line Smithy was cursing them for not answering. Maybe it was a good thing, they could continue living like everything was normal for a little while longer.

* * *

Pulling the hood over his head so that it made him unrecognisable among everyone else in the back streets of North London. It had been a rollercoaster of a day. It had started with a call from his parole officer which he had found strange coming on a Sunday morning. He had been meant to be meeting with the parole officer the next morning but now the appointment was cancelled. He found this odd and wanted to know why. Eventually after talking to the prison guard he found out that he was being refused bail and would receive a letter about this in the morning. He had felt crushed, all his hope had been riding on being given parole so that he could finally be free of this hellhole that had haunted his life for the past eleven months. He knew he could take it any longer and he had slipped passed the guard. Finally escaping the walls that had held him hostage for too long. Robert Ward had escaped and he wanted revenge. 


	3. Square One

**Pieces of a Dream  
Chapter 3: Square One**

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! It means a lot! Sorry for not posting this chapter, life is pretty hectic once more! (When isn't it! lol)  
Please review:D Vikki xx

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Zain was dressing for work the next morning when Sara awake. She smiled sleepily at him before letting her eyes fall to the alarm clock beside her on the bedside table.

"Zain! I'm going to be late! Why didn't you wake me up?" She asked, darting out from underneath the warm bed covers and reaching out for her dressing gown.

Zain smiled at her sheepishly. "You looked so peaceful that I didn't want to disturb you." He confessed.

Sarah took a step closer to him. "I don't think my boss would accept that as an excuse, do you?" She joked, giving him a soft kiss on the lips before heading into the bathroom to shower.

Zain went downstairs to the kitchen and turned on the television while he filled the kettle and put some slices of bread into the toaster. On the way to the fridge to get the milk and the butter he saw an item on the morning news bulletin that stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Sarah!" He called up the stairs. "I think you should come down here and see this!"

* * *

Dale Smith was at work early the next morning before Rachel was even awake. He and Inspector Gina Gold were holding the uniform briefing that morning. Finding Robert Ward was top of everyone's list of priorities for the day. Most of the relief had been assigned to helping to track him down in some way. Smithy was itching to get out on the streets but he and Gina were delving deep into Ward's past, concentrating especially on the time he had been in prison. Smithy hadn't been able to get hold of Zain or Sarah and he could only imagine how they must be feeling. He knew how he would feel if it had been Rachel who was in Sarah's position.

* * *

Sarah gripped the back of one of the kitchen chairs until her knuckles began to turn white. Her eyes were glued to the screen as the news bulletin continued to unfold before her. Zain slipped a comforting arm around her shoulders and held her close as they watched the nightmare come to life in front of them. When the bulletin had finished and the weather came on, Sarah turned to Zain with a look of defiance mixed with fear in her green eyes.

"I never should have reported him. I should've just carried on with my life and tried to forget what he did to me. What's the point in going to the police if they can't even keep him in prison?" She asked, turning away and disappearing upstairs to get dressed.

"Sarah!" Zain called after her but he accepted that she needed to be alone. She had been through so much in the last year and just when they thought it was safe to move on they were right back at square one.

* * *

"Phil, the DCI wants us to go over our notes from the Sarah Adams case." Sam said, dumping a large cardboard box full of files on his desk. Phil looked up at her.

"Together?"

"Yes, together." Sam confirmed. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, Sam…I" He stuttered; trying to dig himself out of the hole he created.

"You may be a cheating bastard but I still have to work with you." She said sharply.

"Sam…" Phil said. "I've tried to apologise. I really am sorry and I really do love you – more than I've ever loved anyone. Stacey meant nothing to me. It was a drunken mistake Sam, I was beating myself up over missing Alfie's birthday and being a useless father to him and Madison, Stacey was just…there. I hate myself for it Sam. You finally gave me a chance and I blew it. I'm sorry."

Sam sighed, taking a seat and pulling a file from the box.

"I think we'd better get on with some work before I even think about forgiving you."

* * *

Zain knocked cautiously on their bedroom door and waited. Sarah pulled the door open and slowly stepped inside. He gently took her face in his hands; it was obvious to him that she had been crying.

"I'm sorry about just now." She apologised, resting her head against Zain's chest as he wrapped comforting arms around her. "I just feel…" She stopped, fighting a losing battle against her tears.

"It's okay." Zain soothed, rubbing her back. "I understand. You don't need to apologise." He held her close for a few minutes, torn between wanting to stay with Sarah and wanting to be at work trying to track down Ward.

"I want you to go to the women's refuge again." Zain told her.

Sarah shook her head. "No." She replied firmly. "Not this time, I refuse to let him take over my life again.

"Sarah, I only want what's best for you."

"I know." She replied. "But I'm going to work. See you tonight." She manoeuvred passed Zain and headed downstairs. He sighed and finished getting ready for work.

* * *

A day's growth of stubble and the hood pulled over his eyes let Robert Ward blend in with the crowds in North London but this wasn't where he wanted to be. London held to many bad memories for Robbie and he wanted to get away, somewhere hot maybe? First, he had some unfinished business to deal with, by the name of Sarah Adams.

**Reviews make me happy!**


	4. Watched

**Pieces of a Dream  
Chapter 4: Watched**

**Thanks to: Bex, Lornz, Emma, Becca and Sekhmet for reviewing the last chapter!  
Please review this chapter! Vikki xx.**

* * *

Zain couldn't concentrate all day while he was at work, he just couldn't stop thinking and worrying about Sarah. He wasn't allowed to work on the case this time around because he was too closely involved but this only made him more on edge. He wanted to be doing something to help put Ward back behind bars where he belonged. From his desk he could see Sam and Phil working through a stack of files containing FME reports, witness statements and other documents from the Sarah Adams case. Zain kept picking up the phone to call her but he thought better of it. He wanted Sarah to know that he cared but he didn't want to seem too overprotective either. It was also hard to resist the temptation to interrogate Sam and Phil about the progress of their investigation but he knew he had to. They were his superior officers and he knew they would tell him if they found something that would lead them to Ward.

* * *

At lunchtime he gave in and gave Sarah a call; it was a relief to hear her voice.

"Hey Sarah." He said, knowing that relief was probably obvious in his voice.

"Hi Zain." She replied, placing the phone between her neck and shoulder as she ate her tuna roll.

"Everything okay?" He asked, trying to keep his voice steady. Somehow Sarah managed to sound so calm.

"If you're asking me whether or not some psycho has abducted me then no." She said bitterly, it was in bad taste.

"Sarah…" Zain began.

"Sorry Zain, I know you're worried…I am too." Sarah admitted, putting down her roll, she didn't feel hungry anymore. "I'm actually really scared." She hated admitting that Ward was still affecting her this much.

"I can come and pick you up, I'll take you home if you want?"

"It's okay, I'll be okay. I've got work on all afternoon anyway. Actually, I'm going to be late for a meeting. Gotta go, love you!" She hung up and hurried from her desk.

"I love you too." Zain replied but the line had gone dead.

* * *

Nadir wasn't a particularly common name in London but that didn't matter anyway because they weren't listed in the telephone directory. He had managed to track down Sarah Adams at work though so it was only a matter of time before he could finish what he had started.

* * *

"If I see another witness statement today I will actually go insane." Phil said, adding a yellow file to a mounting pile on the desk.

Sam looked up from the report she was studying and raised her eyebrows at him.

"Okay yeah, I deserved that look." Phil put his hands up in surrender. "Let me buy you coffee, Sam."

She shook her head. "If I want one I'll buy one myself." She replied coldly, she was trying to prove the point that she didn't need him to do anything for her anymore.

"Oh, okay." Phil replied, a little hurt but he knew he had hurt Sam more.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you Phil." She sighed.

In spite of himself Phil smiled slightly.

"It's okay, it's nothing more than what I deserve." He said before heading to the coffee machine. Alone.

* * *

Ward waited around the corner from the clinic where Sarah Adams worked as a child psychologist. He'd managed to find an abandoned car that blended in with the others in the street. Robert Ward was almost unrecognisable compared to the man who had still been in prison less than forty-eight hours ago. His eyes were hooded with dark circles smeared underneath from lack of sleep. Anyone who was passing by wouldn't have looked twice at him. Ward looked at his watch and saw that it was almost five o'clock, Sarah would be out of work soon and he couldn't wait much longer. He had waited a long time for this, and they were right because this revenge was going to be so sweet.

* * *

"Off already?" Mickey Webb asked Zain, looking up from his computer screen as his colleague stood up and pulled on his jacket.

Zain nodded as he picked up his mobile phone and took his car keys out of his pocket.

"I'm going to pick up Sarah from work." He told Mickey.

"Ah right. Give her my best, will ya?" He replied.

"Thanks mate." Zain said before leaving the office and heading for his car. He resisted the urge to call Sarah , he'd be seeing her in ten minutes time traffic permitting but he just wanted to know that she was safe now that Ward was on the loose.

* * *

The first thing ward saw was her auburn hair as the early evening sunlight shone off it. The light breeze blew her hair around her shoulders and she reached out to tuck a stray strand behind her ear. There was nothing particularly distinctive about Sarah's appearance, she had an averagely pretty face with deep set green eyes and copper hair which fell to her shoulders and shaped her face. Ward would recognise her anywhere though. She was coming closer; Ward watched her approach in the rear-view mirror. He reached for the door handle and was just about to open it when a turquoise Peugeot pulled up and Sarah climbed into the passenger seat, leaning over to kiss the driver on the cheek before they drove off. Ward suppressed the need to hit out at something. She had got away this time but there would be plenty more opportunities to get even.

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	5. Look After You

Pieces of a Dream

Chapter 5 – Look After You

_**Sorry for taking so long to update! Thanks for all your reviews and support!  
Song is 'Look after You' by the Fray!**_

**_Please review! Vikki xXx.

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_**

_If I don't say this now I will surely break_

_As I'm leaving the one I want to take_

_Forgive the urgency but hurry up and wait_

_My heart has started to separate._

* * *

On their way back to their house Zain and Sarah stopped outside the row of shops at the end of their street. There was a couple of convenience stores, a bank, a launderette and a selection of takeaways. Zain parked the car in the road and headed for the Indian takeaway, leaving Sarah safely locked in the car while he went to order their curries.

"Do you remember that night at the women's refuge?" Zain asked, climbing back into the car and handing Sarah the bag of hot food.

"Yeah," she smiled, reminiscing. "I was so scared, Ward hadn't been charmed and it looked like I had made the whole thing up."

"Sarah," Zain interjected, he hadn't meant to drag up the past although it was hard not to at the moment, but she continued to speak.

"And then you came to see me and, I don't know, everything seemed a bit clearer to me but now it's happening all over again." She sighed and Zain leant over, squeezing her hand in his.

"It'll be okay." He reassured her. "We'll catch him again, for good this time." He reassured her, he just hoped she believed him.

_

* * *

_

Oh, oh

_Be my baby_

_Ohhh  
Oh, oh  
Be my baby_

_I'll look after you._

"I'm going to call it a night." Samantha said a while later, stretching out her neck and adjusting her position in her seat which had been comfortable once upon a time. She and Phil were now the only two left in CID. Phil yawned expansively, staring into his empty coffee mug with distaste.

"Me too, as long as I can stay awake long enough to drive." Phil agreed.

Sam paused before speaking. "Do you want a lift then?" She asked.

This hadn't been what Phil had been expecting at all.

"I can't ask you to do that…" He began.

"You didn't ask me to." Sam stated simply.

"Thanks a lot but I'll be okay, I'll have another coffee and try and finish this file." He said, waving a thin blue file in her direction.

"If you're sure?" Sam said, already standing up and pulling on her jacket. Part of her was glad because she didn't know if driving Phil back to his house would be a sensible idea. If she did she didn't know how long she could fight her temptations for.

There now, steady love, so few come and don't go _

* * *

_

Will you won't you, be the one I always know

_When I'm losing my control, the city spins around_

_You're the only one who knows, you slow it down_

Sarah and Zain stepped into their house and took the food through to the living room where Sarah placed it on the coffee table. While Zain was getting the cutlery and finding two cans of beer from the cupboard, Sarah slipped upstairs and changed out of her work clothes. A few minutes she came back downstairs, now dressed in a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a hooded top from her university days. Zain smiled as she entered the room and passed her curry to her. They sat together on the sofa, eating and drinking and talking about their days at work. It all seemed to normal and such an everyday event that it made everything else that was happening so much more unbearable. When they had finished they placed the empty dishes back on the coffee table and Sarah relaxed into Zain's arms, resting her head against his chest.

"I love you, you know." Zain whispered, stroking Sarah's hair as he held her.

She smiled. "I love you too." She said, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by a range of emotions.

Zain took her face in his left hand and turned it so it was looking directly at him.

"Hey, don't cry." He whispered, wiping her tears away with the pad of his thumb. "I'll look after you."

_

* * *

_

Oh, oh

_Be my baby_

_Ohhh  
Oh, oh  
Be my baby_

_I'll look after you._

Rachel Casper had a throbbing headache and a migraine when she returned home from work that evening. She and her colleagues who had worked on the Sarah Adams case the first time round had had to review all of the information they had, in a similar way to what DSs Hunter and Nixon had been but it was more intensive. She longed to go home for a long soak in the bath and a night in front of the television with her boyfriend. Fate always seemed to have other ideas though.

"Dale!" Rachel called into the flat as she arrived home. Flicking on the light switch, it was quite dark yet but the twilight wasn't helping her aching head. There was no reply to her call so she headed to the bathroom and turned on the bath taps before pouring a large amount of lavender bubble bath. She was slipping out of her skirt suit when the phone rang. Rachel swore and went to answer it.

"Rach? It's Dale." Came the response before she had even opened her mouth to say hello. "We've got a lead on Ward. There was a possible sighting of him earlier. I don't have a clue what time I'll be home tonight babe, they want as many bodies down here as possible."

"Okay, take care Dale. Love you."

"Yeah you too. Love you." Then he hung up leaving Rachel feeling a little empty inside. She desperately wanted them to catch Ward, of course she did. Sarah was one of her dearest and closest friends but sometimes she just missed being able to come home to her lover every night.

_

* * *

_

If there ever was a doubt

_My love, she leans into me_

_This most assuredly counts_

_She says most assuredly_

_Oh, oh_

_Be my baby_

_Ohhh  
Oh, oh  
Be my baby_

_I'll look after you._

* * *

After making a few phone calls from various payphones in and around the city, Robert Ward was finally able to track down where it was the Sarah and Zain lived. Now it was only a matter of time he had told himself as he had prowled the streets of London. After his revenge he knew he would be facing the rest of his life in prison so why not live life to the full while he still could. A girl met his eye across the street and he pulled the beaten up car up to the curb and signalled for her to get into the passenger seat. Ward was back._

* * *

_

It's always have and never hold

_You've begun to feel like home_

_What's mine is yours to leave or take_

_What's mine is yours to make your own_

_Oh, oh_

_Be my baby_

_Ohhh  
Oh, oh  
Be my baby_

_I'll look after you.  
You are so beautiful to me._


End file.
